


Little Sister

by Beleriandings



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-14
Updated: 2014-11-14
Packaged: 2018-02-25 09:57:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2617634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beleriandings/pseuds/Beleriandings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ñolofinwë tries to be a model pupil, as a young prince should be. His little sister has other ideas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Sister

"Pssssst! Ñolvo!"

"Ow!" he turned to look at his sister, who had just elbowed him in the ribs. "Lalwendë, what - "

"Let’s sneak out!"

"What?"

"Come on, this is boring" she gestured at her own practice book, where her large, uneven child’s letters straggled their way across the page, amidst large ink blots. "Yours doesn’t look much fun either." She narrowed her eyes at her elder brother’s book, where their tutor had written his assignment, reading aloud. "Discuss the factors that led to the emergence of cultural and linguistic differences amongst the Quendi who set out on the road from Cuiviénen, including considerations of the timescales over which such changes occurred. Go on to discuss the extent to which these developing divisions correspond to the distinct Ñoldorin, Vanyarin and Telerin cultures that we see today. 4000-5000 words.” Lalwendë made a face. “Sounds boring.”

"It’s not boring" said Ñolofinwë earnestly. "It’s very - "

"It’s a beautiful warm day outside" pointed out Lalwendë, nodding out the window, where the light of Laurelin streamed bright and golden into the courtyard. "And Mistress Calinessë couldn’t come to our lesson today. She left  _you_  in charge.” Lalwendë gave her older brother her sweetest smile. 

"What’s your point?"

"We could run away! Saddle our horses and ride out of the city! Go on adventures! Wouldn’t that be more fun than stupid lessons we can do any time?"

"Not a chance, Lalwendë. Atar and Amil judge me responsible enough to stop you getting into trouble, and Mistress Calinessë even trusts me to see that you do your writing practice."

Lalwendë pouted. “We could go out and climb all the way up to the roof. Or to the palace gardens.”

"No."

"We could pick flowers, and then throw them at each other!"

"Lalwendë, I’m fairly sure that’s not what you’re supposed to do with flowers you pick…" he shook his head. "No! We’re not going. Do your work."

Lalwendë’s face fell, and she stuck her lip out defiantly, seizing her pen in a fist and dipping it forcefully into the ink pot. “Fine then.”

A little while passed, as Ñolofinwë scribbled a few notes, idly. He leafed through the heavy historical tome that sat on the desk in front of him. He folded and unfolded the edge of his paper. 

Lalwendë had been right in one thing at least; it was a wonderful golden spring day outside, he could not help but notice, warm and bright, with a slight breeze that made the curtain of the open window stir and dance before them. They kept catching in his peripheral vision.  _Distracting._  Ñolofinwë gritted his teeth, staring back down at the words he had written, of which there were dishearteningly few. 

He blinked and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to concentrate, even as a wave of contented sleepiness washed over him. After a while his head was swimming, and he could barely concentrate on the small black letters before him.  _The warm air, the smell of old books, the comfortable chair…_

The next thing he knew he was waking, his head pillowed on his arms and his neck stiff.  _Laurelin was still bright, he could not have slept for long…_  he looked around. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he gave a muffled curse as he realised that Lalwendë was gone. 

With a resigned sigh, Ñolofinwë closed the book, marking his place carefully, and went to go find his little sister.

It took him less time than even he himself had expected. 

He was walking beneath a grove of cherry trees in the palace gardens, when a storm of blossom came raining down on him. Ñolofinwë ducked, spluttering petals from his mouth and cursing, even as he heard a cackle of delight coming from above.

"Lalwendë!" he glared up into the branches, where his little sister was perched, shaking the branch over him cheerfully and laughing. "Come back here right this - "

"Come and get me!" she shrieked, pulling herself nimbly onto a higher branch. 

He gave a sigh, thinking ruefully of his his essay. He looked back up at the palace windows, and then up into the branches at Lalwendë, who was now pelting him with handfuls of petals. He smiled. 

"Oh, to the Void with it. Watch out, little sister, I’m coming to get my revenge!"

And with that, he began to scramble up the tree.


End file.
